AlaskaBeacon.com
Within Anchorage and Fairbanks Alaska perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS substances, have been found in the waterways. Samples taken in 2021 and 2022 at 15 sites in the state’s two biggest cities, found the highest PFAS levels in Anchorage’s Lake Spenard and Lake Hood. At 952.2 parts per trillion and 698.7 parts per trillion, they were about 10 times the health-advisory threshold for drinking water set in 2016 by the Environmental Protection Agency
Within Legislature a bill has been introduced sponsored by Senator Jesse Kiehl addressing PFAS. This bill would ban the use of fire suppressing foam which is a source of PFAS. Pam Miller, executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics states that while the bill is a good start more is needed such as the establishment of statewide drinking-water standards in line with modern knowledge, stepped-up monitoring of both water and fish, alternative water sources provided for people who need it and other measures